Network packets are human-readable using a packet sniffer when SQL results passing between client machine and SQL server. Tabular Data Stream(TDS) is the protocol used by SQL server to form packets to be sent through the network. This post explains the steps to encrypt a session with SSL in SQL Server.

Below is the screenshot of packet sniffer when data flowing from server to client

To secure the communication with SSL in SQL server then purchase a certificate from a Certificate Authority (CA), such as VeriSign, DigiCert. You need to install this certificate on SQL server with service account.